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YEAR 6 PARENTS EVENING

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CONTENT

1. HIGHER EDUCATION IN UK – General Points, Cost, Degrees

2. APPLICATION SYSTEM - UCAS

3. HIGHER EDUCATION – Choice of Subject and University

4. OXFORD & CAMBRIDGE

5. SOURCES OF INFORMATION

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HIGHER EDUCATION IN UK• Over 200 Universities to choose from• Competitive entry system – each University will set its own

minimum entry requirements for each course• This will be an overall average in EB; can also specify

marks in up to 3 individual subjects. • Most prestigious Universities will always ask for high marks• Marks for popular subjects will be higher and applicants

may need to do better than the minimum entry requirements stated

• May specify a mark in English for any course, particularly if it not your first language. You should not have to take an entry test in English if taking as L1 or L2.

• If accepted you should be able to complete your degree

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COSTS• TUITION FEES

• ENGLAND – up to £9K per year for EU Students from 2012; NHS pays fees for Health Care – not Medicine, except final year

• Eligible for a Fee Loan – pay back once earning £21Kpa

• WALES – same level as England, but may be eligible for a means-tested Fee Grant; Fee Loan for £3465

• SCOTLAND – no tuition fees for EU Students

• NORTHERN IRELAND – up to £9K but EU students should only pay £3415pa

• LIVING COSTS

• Vary from £7,000 to £10,000 per year, depending on where and level of accommodation.

• Students can supplement by working part-time• British Students who were born and have lived in UK are eligible for a

Student Loan towards

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UCAS APPLICATIONS

• Apply electronically

• Complete one application form listing your choices – up to 5.

• Year 6 marks in every subject go onto form

• Have to write a Personal Statement – 2/3 relating to course applied for, including work experience; 1/3 relating to other activities/interests

• School adds a Reference

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UCAS APPLICATIONS

• CLOSING DATES

• 15th OCTOBER – Oxford/Cambridge included• 15th OCTOBER – Medicine/Dentistry/Veterinary

Science included

• !5th JANUARY – all others

• School will impose earlier deadlines• Advantage to apply early• Officially cannot receive any offers from UCAS until

the closing date

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UCAS APPLICATIONS• OFFERS/CONFIRMATION

• UCAS sends results of applications – can track progress on-line using your Application Number

• When all your Universities have made their decisions, you will have to decide which 2 to keep – one Firm and one Insurance offer

• Results – if have met the conditions for Firm choice, place will be confirmed. May be accepted even if just under marks required.

• Will have to go to Insurance offer if not accepted at Firm offer and you have the marks required

• If you have done much better than expected, you can apply to a ‘better’ University whilst still keeping the place already confirmed

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HIGHER EDUCATION

• CHOICES TO BE MADE

• WHICH SUBJECT?

• WHICH UNIVERSITIES TO APPLY TO?

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WHICH SUBJECT

• Subject you enjoy/are good at?• Subject related to one you enjoy/are good at?• Vocational degree for chosen career?• New subject?• Joint/Combined degree?• Good for postgraduate study/employment?• Includes work placement?• Possible to include study abroad?

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WHICH UNIVERSITY

DO YOU LIKE THEIR COURSE?

AM I LIKELY TO GET AN OFFER?DO I HAVE TO TAKE AN ENTRY TEST?

WHAT TYPE OF UNIVERSITY

SOCIAL/OTHER FACTORS

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WHICH UNIVERSITY

• AM I LIKELY TO GET AN OFFER?

• Minimum marks required?• Competition for entry?• Entry test required?• Portfolio or examples of school work to be sent?• Do they interview before making an offer?

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WHICH UNIVERSITY• ENTRY TESTS

• MEDICINE• BMAT – written test in early November; includes all

Sciences/Maths to UK Year 5 level and an essay• UKCAT – taken at a computer centre in summer at end

of Year 6; no science content, but did have a personality test

• LAW• LNAT – taken at a computer centre; critical thinking

and an essay

• OXBRIDGE • TSA/tests for individual subjects for Oxford in early

November; may have test at interview

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WHICH UNIVERSITY• TYPE OF UNIVERSITY

• COLLEGIATE – Oxford, Cambridge, Durham• TRADITIONAL – Large Cities, eg Birmingham,

Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton• CAMPUS – Outside Towns/Cities, eg Bath, Kent,

Warwick, York• LONDON – Central or further out, eg Imperial,

UCL, Royal Holloway, Brunel• SCOTLAND – 4 year degrees; study 3 subjects in

first year, eg Edinburgh, Aberdeen• NEW – Previously Polytechnic/College, eg Oxford

Brookes, Leeds Metropolitan, Roehampton

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OXFORD & CAMBRIDGE• Oldest and most prestigious UK Universities• Highly competitive – choose between very able applicants;

Oxford is increasingly using pre-interview tests• Standard offer is an average of 8.5 with 9 in relevant

subjects; now more likely to be higher• Success rate is as low as 13% and rarely above 50%• Collegiate – live/study within a College. Have to either

choose a College or make an Open Application; enter choice on UCAS form

• Tutorial Based Learning – lot of private study• Assessment is only by exams• Short Terms – work is intensive• Can only apply to one, not both• Always interview – December. Expect to be challenging!!

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FURTHER INFORMATION• BOOKS• Degree Course Offers(Brian Heap) – Entry points

by subject, competition for entry, advice for personal statement and interview

• Progression Series – Courses and Careers• What Do Graduates Do? – Survey of graduate

destinations for main subjects

• SOFTWARE• Pathfinder Live – Interest Guide for Careers/HE

subjects; careers information both general and on specific jobs

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FURTHER INFORMATIONWEB SITESwww.ucas.com – search for where can take subjects andcheck entry requirements; can link into universityprospectuseswww.unistats.com - ratings of universities by subject inrelation to graduate employment and student satisfactionwww.push.co.uk – review of universities – costs, sociallife etcwww.prospects.ac.uk – graduate destinations/careerswww.gapyear.com – information/organisations